A former Relationship Manager with Guaranty Trust Bank Plc, GTB in Enugu, Onyekachi Nwosu was on Thursday, February 27, 2020 convicted and sentenced to Eighteen (18) years imprisonment by Justice D.V. Agishi of Federal High Court, Enugu on a six (6) amended count charge bothering on forgery, altering and giving a loan with defective collateral brought against him by the Enugu Zonal office of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC.
Justice Agishi, in her judgement, ruled that the prosecution team led by Mashal Umukoro Onome Esq. proved their case beyond reasonable doubt and that the convict had failed to extricate himself from the self evidenced proofs before the court.
EFCC, in the course of trial, called eight witnesses and tendered several exhibits to prove their case.
The convict was found guilty on all six count charge and sentenced accordingly. On count one and two, he was sentenced to five; while he is to serve two years each on counts three, four, five and six. The cumulative eighteen years prison terms will, however, run concurrently.
Investigation by EFCC revealed several professional misconduct by Nwosu who took undue advantage of his position as a Senior Bank Supervisor and account officer to forge a document titled LETTER of SET-OFF which he used to illegally grant a loan of N34,900,000 (Thirty Four Million,Nine Hundred Thousand Naira) to a customer and his company from several fixed deposits of other customers without their knowledge nor consent.
He was also discovered to have altered several account documents of his friend whom he illegally granted loan as to enhance his Visa application to United Kingdom.
In a clear show of its resilience and market leadership, Zenith Bank has announced an impressive result for the year ended December 31, 2019, with profit after tax (PAT) of N208.8 billion, achieving the feat as the first Nigerian Bank to cross the N200 billion mark.
According to the bank’s audited financial results for the 2019 financial year released in Lagos on Friday, profit after tax rose by 8% to N208.8 billion from the N193 billion recorded in the previous year.
The Group also recorded a growth in gross earnings of 5% rising to N662.3 billion from N630.3 billion reported in the previous year. This growth was driven by the 29% increase in non-interest income from N179.9 billion in 2018 to N231.1 billion in 2019. Fees on electronic products continues to grow significantly with a 108% Year on Year (YoY) growth from N20.4 billion in 2018 to N42.5 billion in the current year. This is a validation of the bank’s retail transformation strategy which continues to deliver impressive results.
Profit before tax also increased by 5% growing from N232 billion to N243 billion in the current year, arising from topline growth and continued focus on cost optimisation strategies. Cost-to-income ratio moderated from 49.3% to 48.8%.
The drive for cheaper retail deposits coupled with the low interest yield environment helped reduce the cost of funding from 3.1% to 3.0%. However this also affected net interest margin which reduced from 8.9% to 8.2% in the current year due to re-pricing of interest bearing assets. Although returns on equity and assets held steady YoY at 23.8% and 3.4% respectively, the Group still delivered an improved Earnings per Share (EPS) which grew 8% from N6.15 to N6.65 in the current year.
The Group increased its share of the market as it secured increased customer deposits across the corporate and retail space as deposits grew by 15% to close at N4.26 trillion. Total assets also increased by 7% from N5.96 trillion to N6.35 trillion. The Group created new viable risk assets as gross loans grew by 22% from N2.016 trillion to N2.462 trillion. This was executed prudently at a low cost of risk of 1.1% and a significant reduction in the non-performing loan ratio from 4.98% to 4.30%. Prudential ratios such as liquidity and capital adequacy ratios also remained above regulatory thresholds at 57.3% and 22.0% respectively.
In demonstration of its commitment to its shareholders, the bank has announced a proposed final dividend pay-out of N2.50 per share, bringing the total dividend to N2.80 per share.
In 2020, the Group remains strategically positioned to capture the opportunities in the corporate and retail segments, while efficiently managing costs and expanding further its retail franchise employing digital assets and innovation.
Consistent with this superlative performance and in recognition of its track record of excellent performance, Zenith Bank was voted as the Best Commercial Bank in Nigeria 2019 by the World Finance and the Most Valuable Banking Brand in Nigeria 2019 by The Banker. The Bank was also recognized as Bank of the Year and Best Bank in Retail Banking at the 2019 BusinessDay Banks and Other Financial Institutions (BOFI) Awards, and was ranked as the Best Digital Bank in Nigeria 2019 by Agusto & Co. Most recently, the Bank emerged as the Bank of the Decade (People’s Choice) at the Thisday Awards 2020.
In recognition of the significant role SMEs play in achieving sustainable growth and development in the economy of the country, Nigeria’s premier and leading financial services provider, First Bank of Nigeria Limited would host SMEs in its 2020 second edition of the SME Business Clinic. The event themed “Building a sustainable Business” would be held on 25th and 27th February 2020 in Port-Harcourt and Abuja respectively.
SMEs are encouraged to take the FirstBank SME diagnostic tool by visiting https://smeconnect.firstbanknigeria.com/ in order to stand a chance to be amongst the participants that will be in the SME Business Clinic in Port-Harcourt and Abuja. The FirstBank SME diagnostic tool is designed for SMEs to check the health of their business, better understand it and drive profitability. The SME Clinic will feature one-on-one business advisory services, mentoring, networking opportunities and participants will also be acquainted with the requisite knowledge and business tools needed to drive efficiency in the day-to-day operations of their business.
Speaking on the event, Gbenga Shobo, the Deputy Managing Director, FirstBank, said “at FirstBank, we are proud of the giant strides we have taken over the years towards enhancing the SMEs for their businesses to thrive, have a fair play in the market and contribute to the Gross Domestic Product of the country. We remain the trusted financial partner of SMEs and reiterate our resolve to be known as the brand that enables their success; much the same way that we have for over 125 years enabling Nigerians and the economy at large”.
The coaches at the event are Seye Olurotimi, Lead Consult at Cedar Tribe Limited, an SME branding expert and business growth consultant with vast experience helping SMEs grow effective brands and Robert Yakubu, founder of the Instabiz Academy and the Business Mastery Program, a digital entrepreneur and business strategist empowering entrepreneurs, marketers and business professionals in Port-Harcourt and Abuja respectively.
The SME Clinic session is organized in partnership with SME Traction, a leading business coaching platform aimed at empowering SMEs to make informed choices about their businesses, thereby facilitating growth and bolstering their contribution to the development of the economy.
Expressing her delight on the impact the inaugural SME Clinic has had on her business, the CEO, Nibbles Plus More Ventures, Owoeye, Oluyomi, stated that “the first step I took after the SME business clinic was do a strategic road map for my business. Riding on the information I got from the business trend session on consumer landscape, I had a clearer understanding of who my target audience are and have included that in my business plan. The feedback we believe will help us identify untapped markets and problems in our industry, how to reach them and what value we can offer them”.
Like we were told at the clinic, progressing into the counter intuitive zone of the business model reinventing box is what brings about Innovation. Something must trigger innovation and not just our intuition. Hence, we have chosen research, she concluded.
He still remains undeniably the indefatigable music act that injected crazy dance steps, eccentric dress-sense and controversial lyrics into the wowing scene of the Nigerian music industry, with his ‘Free Madness’ style.
Widely known for his superlative and sensational performance when it comes to stage craft, Gabriel Amanyi, artistically known as Terry G, who recently release a new single and video tagged “Inspiration,” is right now preparing to shake some selected the European cities with his electrifying craft, all things being equal.
On the heels of this impending musical tour, the Akpako Master just released a rare set of his new photographs to facilitate and update his ever increasing fans home and abroad about his upswing in the fast-evolving music scene, especially as his coming trip intensifies, and you want to bet how scintillating and commanding these new images are? Check them out.
The new tour, with the theme, “Legendary 2020 Europe Tour,’’ kicks off from February 28th to April 12th, and will go round some selected top European Afrobeat cities. History will surely be made for African music through this tour from one of the most consistent musicians and greatest Afrobeat exports from Africa. The Akpako Master himself cannot just wait for the concerts to roll out, as he is eagerly preparing big time to storm these selected European cities with a bang, of course with his special brand of music and his signature tone.
Expected among the European cities that have already sold out its tickets are: Genova, Italy; Torino, Italy; St. Gallen, Switzerland; Parma, Italy; Athens, Greece;Padova, Italy; Amsterdan, Netherlands; Paris, France; Zaragoza, Spain; Prague, Czech Republic; Barcelona, Spain; Vienna, Austria; Brescia, Italy; Lausanne, Switzerland; Antwerp, Belgium; Parlemo, Italy.
The much-awaited Europe tour is proudly packaged by URBAN ENT×AFRO EURO that had previously taken notable acts like Timaya; Olamide; Reekado Banks; Patoranking; Tekno and many more, on similar concerts to Europe.
(L-R) Andrew Nevin, Partner -West Africa Financial Services Leader and Chief Economist at PWC; Patrick Akinwuntan, Managing Director, Ecobank Nigeria; Mustapha Baba Shehuri, Minister of State for Agriculture; and John Aboh, Chairman, Ecobank Nigeria Limited at the Ecobank Agribusiness Summit, held in Lagos
Managing Director, Ecobank Nigeria, Patrick Akinwuntan says the Ecobank Agribusiness Summit was an initiative to create a common platform that brings together partakers in the Agric value chain, be it producers, processors, logistics entrepreneurs, insurance practitioners and others within the sector to think a better approach to agriculture sustainability for Nigeria. The bank Managing Director stated that Ecobank believes food security is critical, as it enhances national security, and to ensure our continuous survival as a country, we must put agriculture in the front burner.
“Agriculture is not just a culture, it is a business. Historically, Agriculture used to be the lead within the economy, before the advent of petroleum, now, we understand that the long term sustainability of the economy can only come from Agriculture, because of its ability to create employment for the teeming young population and its ability to integrate all the parts of the country. When it is Agriculture, there is no North, West, South and East, it is all about where do I get the best item, best quality, best value. In addition, given the landscape in Nigeria, given the population within Nigeria, we are a natural market and so when you look at what the Government and the central bank has been promoting in the last four to five years, a lot of focus have been on supporting Agric as a means to reduce the import bill of Nigeria and ultimately increase the export revenues of Nigeria”.
“Ecobank saw the opportunity that Agriculture provides and we decided that working together on the policies provided by the Central Bank and in partnership with Vanguard Newspaper, we established this national Agric summit as a platform to bring the entire ecosystem of the Agricultural sector together to interface to get the best value for the growth of the sector in Nigeria. Naturally as a bank, we know that participants in the Agric sector need to be financially included, we will therefore give them the ability to open an account instantly on their mobile phones so as to have the ability to make payment for farm needs and to also collect their proceeds from anywhere. We believe “you can stay somewhere in Niger State, sell to someone in in Lagos and through our secured platform, the person in Lagos will pay and you will receive your alert in Niger state before you release your goods from your farm in Niger state. That type of integration is what Ecobank brings to bear by bringing the entire participants; producers, processors, logistics, insurance and other participants in the sector unto a platform, the national Agric Summit, established by Ecobank”.
Further, Mr Akinwuntan stated that Ecobank’s relevance to Africa would mean supporting growth in the mainstay of the continent’s economy, which is agriculture. “Agriculture ensures that our survival is guaranteed. Agric is available in every corner of Nigeria, be it fishery, to poultry, to arable farming . Be it Cocoa, maize, rice, cashew nuts, palm oil, or any of the Agric items that you know that is available in Nigeria and these can be produced on a higher scale” he stated.
Also speaking, Dr. Andrew Nevin, Partner -West Africa Financial Services Leader and Chief Economist at PWC said reshaping Nigeria’s Agribusiness Landscape will require us integrate agriculture value chain to manufacturing, invest in agriculture infrastructure and mechanization, see agriculture as a business in the form of capacity building and education, and enhance crop yields and output and also instigate Land reforms and integration of national and sub-national policies.
Dr. Andrew Nevin who spoke on the topic “Unlocking productivity and investment opportunities across Nigeria’s agribusiness value-chain”, also maintained that there’s need for interventions to overcome agriculture financing challenges and risks in the area of Capacity development – that is offer training to farmers and advise them on how to undertake farming as a profitable business; Develop agricultural customized loan products that are relevant to farmers’ needs – this could enable farmers to borrow and repay loans successfully; De-risk through financial and entrepreneurship education; Establish strong partnerships and alliances to promote investment in Agriculture and deployment of high-end technology to enhance efficiency and convenience of access
He noted that the UN expects agricultural production to rise by 69% between 2010 and 2050 to meet the expected increase in demand. Farmers, he said are therefore required to start implementing advanced technological techniques to boost productivity.
The maiden Ecobank Agribusiness summit in partnership with Vanguard Newspapers had exhibitors and hundreds of participants from within and outside the country in attendance.
She’s without doubt the most talk about Nigerian actress at the moment, Regina Daniels, who is married to billionaire philanthropist, Prince Ned Nwoko has been involved in to many ventures of late one of which she will be launching in a couple of days from now. It was gathered that the actress will be introducing to the people and her teeming fans her first work as a publisher as she is due to launch her own celebrity magazine on 22nd of February, 2020.
In an invite made available by Ifetayo Adeniyi, the media and publicity officer of Prince Ned Nwoko, the celebrities’ magazine will be hitting the newsstands in less than two weeks after it must have been launched in an event slated for Abuja.
The magazine which was named “Regina”, after the fair-skin actress will feature exclusive interview with the elegant role interpreter as well as other stories center around women especially those that has something to do with the media.
It will be recollected that the actress has so far had a very busy 2020, she was and is currently actively involved in her husband’s pet project on eradicating malaria in Africa as well as her recently launched, Regina Entertainment Television (RET) which will soon be on DSTV, where it will be transmitting various programmes to the viewing pleasure of many Nigerians.
Tony O. Elumelu, CON, has congratulated the African Development Bank (AfDB), and AfDB President Akinwumi Adesina, on their commitment to African entrepreneurship, with the disbursement of $2.5million seed capital to the AfDB-sponsored beneficiaries of the 2019 TEF Entrepreneurship Programme. $2.5m was released today, with the remainder expected to be disbursed to the entrepreneurs in Q12020.
The AfDB commitment follows the recent $8.5 million disbursement from the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) to 2,648 entrepreneurs in the Sahel region and Africa more broadly, and further accelerates the economic empowerment generated by the Tony Elumelu Foundation. In 2019, the Foundation significantly increased the scale and reach of it impact, with the number of beneficiaries of its flagship Entrepreneurship Programme rising from its annual commitment of 1,000, to 5,150, in collaboration with global and African partners.
With its commitment to strengthen small and medium-sized enterprises and develop young entrepreneurs, AfDB joined the growing list of global development institutions benefiting from the Tony Elumelu Foundation’s unique model of identifying, training, mentoring and funding entrepreneurs and start-ups across Africa. The partnership demonstrates the implementation of the AfDB’s ten-year “Jobs for Youth in Africa” strategy, launched in 2016, to support the creation of 25 million meaningful jobs across the continent.
The partnership illustrates TEF’s willingness to share its infrastructure and know-how, with others who share the mission to empower young African entrepreneurs and TEF’s goal of creating millions of jobs, as well as generating billions in revenue, to catalyse economic growth across the continent.
The Foundation is currently accepting applications to the 2020 cohort of its flagship Entrepreneurship Programme on TEFConnect.com, Africa’s digital hub for entrepreneurs.
AfDB Joins TEF Programme Catalysing Entrepreneurship Across Africa
Tony O. Elumelu, CON, has congratulated the African Development Bank (AfDB), and AfDB President Akinwumi Adesina, on their commitment to African entrepreneurship, with the disbursement of $2.5million seed capital to the AfDB-sponsored beneficiaries of the 2019 TEF Entrepreneurship Programme. $2.5m was released today, with the remainder expected to be disbursed to the entrepreneurs in Q12020.
The AfDB commitment follows the recent $8.5 million disbursement from the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) to 2,648 entrepreneurs in the Sahel region and Africa more broadly, and further accelerates the economic empowerment generated by the Tony Elumelu Foundation. In 2019, the Foundation significantly increased the scale and reach of it impact, with the number of beneficiaries of its flagship Entrepreneurship Programme rising from its annual commitment of 1,000, to 5,150, in collaboration with global and African partners.
With its commitment to strengthen small and medium-sized enterprises and develop young entrepreneurs, AfDB joined the growing list of global development institutions benefiting from the Tony Elumelu Foundation’s unique model of identifying, training, mentoring and funding entrepreneurs and start-ups across Africa. The partnership demonstrates the implementation of the AfDB’s ten-year “Jobs for Youth in Africa” strategy, launched in 2016, to support the creation of 25 million meaningful jobs across the continent.
The partnership illustrates TEF’s willingness to share its infrastructure and know-how, with others who share the mission to empower young African entrepreneurs and TEF’s goal of creating millions of jobs, as well as generating billions in revenue, to catalyse economic growth across the continent.
The Foundation is currently accepting applications to the 2020 cohort of its flagship Entrepreneurship Programme on TEFConnect.com, Africa’s digital hub for entrepreneurs.
One of the top shots at the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation-NNPC, Josiah Adediran Ikusemoro must have bitten more than he can chew if information at our disposal is anything to go by.
The man who’s presently running from pillar to post over his messy divorce case with his wife of many years, Enquirermag gathered has resorted to ritual consultations as a last solution over his plight.
According to inside sources, Ikusemoro, 57 who hails from a ruling house in Bunu Kabba local government area of Kogi State has been trying hard to put an end to the pending divorce case so he can marry his 20 something years old younger lover who just finished her youth service.
Close sources confided in this office that, the Bunu Kabba Prince who’s one of the topflight staff of NNPC in Benin, Edo State has been lavishing lots of money on the young girl whose parents live in Ibadan.
We gathered that as at last count, the man has bought the young girl who’s now his live-in-lover in Benin home, cars and several other worldly accomplishments just to force her into marrying him.
Josiah Adediran Ikusemoro
Bubble burst however when Ikusemoro was spotted in company of his driver, Sunny somewhere in Ibadan at a herbalist hideout where he’s gone for spiritual consultations and he was also said to have visited another of his spiritual father in Iwo, Osun State where he was said to have written names of his parents, ex-wife’s name and that of her parents and even his younger lover should she refused to marry him after all he has spent on her.
This office was appalled of the lengthy story of his dirty spiritual escapades which is quite unbefitting of a petroleum engineer of his status and when we made efforts to get in touch with him, perhaps to clear the air, so as not to misrepresent his person, instead, Mr. Ikusemoro threw caution to the wind and began to threaten us, “where did you get my number from, who’re you to open your mouth to talk to me, where did you see me in a herbalist place, do you think you can blackmail me, infact, you will suffer for this, am going to send this number to the SSS and they will get you arrested, quote me, I will make sure I finish you”, the man threatened and finally hung up in a very rude manner.
We have since been waiting for his SSS and have began to dig more about his dirty lifestyle and facts of his pending divorce case before Hon. Justice H.A Courage Ogbebor.
Two limited liability companies Sunlek Investment Limited and Sunsteel Industries Limited have slammed N7billion suit on First City Monument bank Plc FCMB over alleged breach of contract.
In a 126 paragraphs of statement of claim accompanied by another 27 paragraphs of a witness sworn to on oath and filed before a Federal high court sitting in Lagos south west Nigeria by a Lagos lawyer Mr. John Olusegun Odubela SAN, the two companies alleged that they operated loan accounts with First City Monument Bank upon which disbursement was made for all letters of credit /loan facility granted to them by the bank for the importation of raw materials.
However, since 23rd May, 2013 when the bank entered into an agreement to grant them loan, and open a loan facility account for them till date, they have not been given the particulars of the loan facility account neither has any statements of account of this loan account been made available to them.
The plaintiffs companies alleged further that by commitment letter dated 23rd May, 2013 and the term sheet for facility duly signed /executed by the two parties, FCMB committed and undertook to fund on fully-underwriten basis the debt finance of $1,500,000 and N422,500,000. Thereafter, other loans facilities were granted to the companies by the bank.
The total amount of the letters of credit opened by the bank in favour of the companies is $8,003,247.5 out of which said sum the companies contributed 10% based on the terms of the grant of the various offer for facility utilized to open letters of credit from 22nd ,March 2013 to September, 2017. The loans facilities were well secured.
The plaintiffs contended that from the available records available to them, it was reflected that they have fully repaid their indebtedness to the Bank.
However, the companies were bewildered when they received the bank’s letter that their indebtedness to the bank as at 14th of March, 2019 is in the sum of N1,129 884,104.72., that the debt should be liquidated within 14 days, despite the fact that they have fully repaid the loan they took from the bank.
Consequently, they engaged the services of accounting firm to audit their account,the plaintiff by their letter and their solicitor’s letter requested for statements of accounts of the loan accounts from the bank, but the bank has deliberately refused, failed and neglected to make available the said statement of account. However from the forensic analysis of their accounts, the plaintiffs contended that they are not in any way indebted to the bank in the sum of N1,129,884,104.72.
From the forensic audit report it was discovered that there were two transactions carried out on letter of credit, wherein substantial volume of the product were damaged.
The value of items purchased by the letters of credit was in the sum of $1,999,965 for the importation of cold rolled steel strips, galvanized steel strips and Zinc wire from Chemetals(HK) limited Unit 1105H/F Lippo Center 89,Queens Way Hong Kong. FCMB is solely and unilaterally liable to undertake all the risk Insurance policy Clause A for the consignment/raw material to be imported by virtue of the letter of credit.
The bank solely negotiated insurance policy obtained for the products purchased and appointed Mansard Insurance Plc to provide insurance cover Clause C for the importation of the consignment. Upon taken delivery of the consignment after payment of custom duties and port charges, it was discovered that a large volume of the said consignment were in various forms of damaged conditions.
The plaintiffs informed the bank about the damaged consignment and the need to pursue insurance claim for the damage consignment,the bank requested for documents from the officers of the plaintiffs which was sent to them to pursue the claim.
However, the agent of the bank sent a report to the plaintiffs to inform them that from the nature of damages to some of the products, the insurance policy, being a Clause C policy as undertaken by the bank is not sufficient to cover the nature of loss from the said damages to the products. The total value of the consignment damaged is in the sum of $628,386.23 and N336,136.692.66. The bank ought to have undertaken an all risk insurance policy cover with the insurance company. As a result of the damages to the consignment,they were not fit for use and could not be refined in the plaintiffs machine and remained in the plaintiffs factory as junk or waste material.
The plaintiffs averred that they have suffered financial loss as a result of the breach of contract in the sum of N884,934,268.56 which has negatively affected their business operation since 2014 till date. The plaintiffs averred that they are entitled to claim damages for breach of contract against the bank who had by its various acts of breaches of the various letters of offer for facility caused great loss to their business. Consequently the plaintiffs claim against FCMB jointly and severally are as follows:
General damages in the sum of N5billion.
A declaration that the plaintiffs are not indebted to the bank in any sum premised on the fact that they have settled all their indebtedness on the facilities granted to them by the bank. A declaration that the bank breach the terms of letter of credit and is liable for the loss of the letters of offer on importation, in the sum of $1,999,865.
A declaration that the bank is liable to refund to the plaintiffs N884,934,298.56,being the losses uncured on the damaged consignment purchased through letters of credits,and failure and refusal of the bank to obtain an all risk insurance policy for the shipment of the said consignment.
An order for the payment of N826,996,135.00 being the total sum wrongly debited on the plaintiffs account by the bank. An order of the court restraining FCMB from appointing and or registering any instrument of appointment of an official receiver or any instrument whatsoever made for the purpose of enforcing the security for the payment of alleged indebtedness in the sum of N1,129,884,104.72 being allegedly claimed against the plaintiffs by the bank. Cost of litigation assessed at N250 million.
